Supported hybrid bilayer membranes as rugged cell membrane mimics

Supported planar lipid bilayers based on alkanethiol-tethering chemistry are becoming increasingly important biomimetic materials. Hybrid bilayers containing thiol-derivatized alkane moieties plus natural Lipids provide a biomimetic matrix that permits the successful reconstitution of membrane protein activity. The hybrid membrane is self-assembled and sufficiently rugged to be of practical use in research and in commercial sensing applications. The coupling of the bilayer to a metal support allows a wide range of analytical techniques to be applied to this model membrane. This article reviews some of the fundamental studies of the formation, structure, and response of hybrid bilayer membranes.